절감하다 en 30 secondes
- A formal verb for reducing costs, time, or resources to improve efficiency.
- A literary verb for feeling a realization or emotion very deeply and keenly.
- Commonly used in business (cost-cutting) and environmental (energy-saving) contexts.
- Often paired with 'importance' (중요성) or 'necessity' (필요성) in emotional contexts.
The Korean verb 절감하다 (jeolgamhada) is a fascinating and dual-purpose word that every intermediate to advanced learner must master. It functions as a homonym in Hangul, stemming from two distinct sets of Hanja (Chinese characters), which gives it two primary meanings that are used in very different contexts. The first and most common meaning in business and daily life relates to the reduction of quantities, specifically costs, energy, or time. The second meaning, more literary and introspective, refers to feeling an emotion or a realization so deeply that it feels 'sharp' or 'keen.'
- Economic Reduction (節減)
- This usage involves the characters 節 (to regulate/cut) and 減 (to decrease). It is the standard term used in corporate settings, environmental discussions, and household management. When a company wants to survive a recession, they look for ways to 절감하다 their operational costs. If a city wants to go green, it encourages citizens to 절감하다 their electricity usage. It implies a conscious, often strategic effort to bring numbers down.
우리 회사는 올해 운영 비용을 20% 절감하기로 결정했습니다. (Our company decided to reduce operating costs by 20% this year.)
- Deep Realization (切感)
- This usage utilizes 切 (to cut/urgent) and 感 (to feel). Imagine a feeling so strong it 'cuts' into your consciousness. This isn't just 'noticing' something; it is 'keenly feeling' the weight of a situation. For example, after getting sick, one might 절감하다 the importance of health. It is often used with adverbs like '절실히' (earnestly) or '뼈저리게' (to the bone) to emphasize the depth of the realization.
부모님이 편찮으시니 가족의 소중함을 다시 한번 절감하게 되었습니다. (As my parents are unwell, I have come to keenly feel the importance of family once again.)
Understanding the difference between these two meanings is largely dependent on the object of the sentence. If the object is a noun representing a measurable quantity (money, time, fuel), it means 'to reduce.' If the object is an abstract noun representing a value or a state (importance, necessity, loneliness, responsibility), it means 'to feel keenly.' This versatility makes 절감하다 a powerful tool for expressing both logical efficiency and deep emotional intelligence in Korean.
에너지 절감 캠페인에 참여합시다. (Let's participate in the energy reduction campaign.)
그는 자신의 한계를 절감하고 더 노력하기로 했습니다. (He keenly felt his limitations and decided to try harder.)
- Register and Nuance
- This word is decidedly formal. While you might say '돈을 아끼다' (save money) to a friend, you would use '원가를 절감하다' (reduce cost price) in a business presentation. Similarly, while you might say '느꼈어' (I felt it) for casual realizations, '절감했다' implies a profound, life-altering realization that carries more weight and sincerity.
Using 절감하다 correctly requires paying close attention to the particles and the surrounding context. Because it is a transitive verb (타동사), it almost always takes the object particle -을/를. The way you structure the sentence changes depending on whether you are talking about saving resources or feeling emotions. Let's break down the grammatical patterns and common pairings that will make your Korean sound natural and sophisticated.
- Pattern 1: Quantity/Cost Reduction
- Structure: [Resource] + 을/를 + 절감하다. This is used for measurable items. Common objects include 비용 (cost), 예산 (budget), 시간 (time), 인력 (manpower), and 에너지 (energy). It describes a proactive action taken to achieve efficiency.
새로운 기술은 생산 시간을 대폭 절감해 줍니다. (New technology drastically reduces production time.)
In this context, you often see adverbs like '대폭' (drastically), '획기적으로' (innovatively), or '점진적으로' (gradually). These modifiers help specify the scale and method of the reduction. It is a favorite word in the manufacturing and tech sectors where 'efficiency' is the ultimate goal.
- Pattern 2: Deep Realization/Feeling
- Structure: [Abstract Noun] + 의 + 중요성/필요성 + 을/를 + 절감하다. This is used when you realize the importance or necessity of something through a specific experience. Common objects include 필요성 (necessity), 중요성 (importance), 한계 (limit), and 소중함 (preciousness).
외국에 혼자 살아보니 언어의 중요성을 절감하게 되었어요. (After living abroad alone, I came to keenly feel the importance of language.)
- Pattern 3: Passive/Noun Form
- While '절감하다' is active, '절감되다' is the passive form meaning 'to be reduced.' The noun form '절감' is frequently used in compound nouns like '비용 절감' (cost reduction) or '에너지 절감' (energy saving).
정부의 정책 덕분에 가계 부채가 약간 절감되었습니다. (Thanks to government policy, household debt was slightly reduced.)
When writing professional emails or reports, using 절감하다 instead of '줄이다' demonstrates a higher level of vocabulary. For example, '우리는 비용을 줄여야 합니다' (We must reduce costs) is correct, but '우리는 비용을 절감해야 합니다' sounds much more like a professional corporate directive. In literature, using it to describe emotions suggests a protagonist who is deeply reflective and perhaps a bit weary of the world's harsh realities.
To truly master 절감하다, you need to know where it lives in the real world. This word isn't usually thrown around while grabbing fried chicken with friends, but it is everywhere in the media, the workplace, and serious literature. Here is a breakdown of the specific domains where you will encounter this word most frequently.
- 1. Business News and Corporate Reports
- If you open a Korean economic newspaper like the 'Maeil Business Newspaper' (매일경제), you will see '절감' in almost every article about corporate earnings. Companies are constantly looking for ways to '원가 절감' (reduce cost price) to increase profit margins. During economic downturns, you'll hear CEOs talking about '인건비 절감' (reducing labor costs), which is often a euphemism for layoffs or freezing salaries.
항공사들이 유가 상승에 대응하기 위해 연료비를 절감하고 있습니다. (Airlines are reducing fuel costs to respond to rising oil prices.)
- 2. Environmental and Sustainability Campaigns
- In the age of climate change, the term '탄소 절감' (carbon reduction) is ubiquitous. You will see this on public service announcements in the subway, on posters in government buildings, and in school textbooks. It is the formal word choice for any policy aimed at reducing waste, emissions, or resource consumption for the sake of the planet.
일회용품 사용을 줄여 쓰레기를 절감합시다. (Let's reduce waste by cutting down on single-use items.)
- 3. Personal Memoirs and Interviews
- When celebrities or public figures give serious interviews about their struggles, they often use the 'emotional realization' meaning of 절감하다. They might speak about how they '절감했다' the fleeting nature of fame or the importance of their fans' support. It adds a layer of gravity and sincerity to their words that simpler verbs lack.
- 4. Documentaries and Educational Content
- In documentaries discussing social issues like the aging population or the declining birth rate, experts will use 절감하다 to describe the public's growing awareness of the crisis. '시민들이 위기의식을 절감하고 있다' (Citizens are keenly feeling a sense of crisis) is a classic phrase you might hear from a narrator.
Finally, you will encounter it in advertisements for household appliances. A refrigerator might be marketed as '전기료 절감의 혁신' (an innovation in electricity bill reduction). In this context, it promises the consumer a tangible financial benefit through superior technology.
Because 절감하다 has two distinct meanings and several similar-sounding cousins, learners often trip up. Avoiding these common pitfalls will help you maintain a high level of accuracy and professional polish in your Korean.
- Mistake 1: Confusing '절감' (Reduction) with '절약' (Saving)
- While both words relate to using less of something, they are not interchangeable. 절약 (jeoryak) focuses on the habit or virtue of being frugal and not wasting. 절감 (jeolgam) focuses on the result or act of decreasing a total amount. You '절약' (save) water as a habit, but a factory '절감' (reduces) its water usage by installing new machinery.
❌ 용돈을 절감하세요. (Incorrect: Reduce your pocket money - sounds like a corporate cut.)
✅ 용돈을 절약하세요. (Correct: Save/be frugal with your pocket money.)
- Mistake 2: Using the wrong meaning in the wrong register
- Using '절감하다' (deeply feel) for trivial things can sound overly dramatic or strange. If you say you '절감했다' that the ice cream was cold, it sounds like a profound life realization about the nature of coldness. For everyday sensations, stick to '느끼다' (to feel).
- Mistake 3: Misusing with '삭감' (Slashing)
- 삭감 (sakgam) is a much harsher word for reduction, often implying a 'cut' or 'slash' that is forced or unwelcome. 절감 is often seen as a positive improvement in efficiency. If a government '절감' the budget, they are making it more efficient. If they '삭감' the budget, they are simply removing funds, often causing hardship.
예산 삭감에 항의하다. (Protest against budget cuts/slashes.)
Another subtle error is forgetting the object particle. Since it's a transitive verb, '비용이 절감하다' is grammatically incorrect (it would mean 'the cost reduces itself'). You must say '비용을 절감하다' (reduce the cost) or use the passive '비용이 절감되다' (the cost is reduced).
To broaden your vocabulary, it is helpful to see how 절감하다 fits into the wider ecosystem of Korean verbs related to 'decreasing' and 'feeling.' Choosing the right synonym can drastically change the tone of your sentence.
- For 'Reduction' (節減)
- 줄이다: The general, all-purpose word for 'to reduce' or 'to shorten.' Suitable for all situations but less formal.
- 삭감하다: To slash or cut (usually budget or wages). Carries a negative or forceful nuance.
- 감축하다: To scale down or downsize. Often used for personnel (인원 감축) or military forces.
- 경감하다: To lighten or mitigate. Often used for burdens, taxes, or pain (고통 경감).
세금 경감 혜택을 받다. (Receive tax mitigation benefits.)
- For 'Keen Feeling' (切感)
- 통감하다 (痛感): To feel deeply and painfully. Often used when admitting a mistake or feeling strong responsibility. (책임을 통감하다).
- 실감하다 (實感): To realize or feel something as real/vivid. Used when something abstract becomes concrete. (인기를 실감하다).
- 느끼다: The standard word for 'to feel.' Very broad and neutral.
저는 이번 사태에 대해 책임을 통감하고 사퇴하겠습니다. (I feel a deep sense of responsibility for this situation and will resign.)
In summary, choose 절감하다 when you want to emphasize efficiency in resources or gravity in realization. If you are just turning down the volume on a TV, use '줄이다.' If you are just feeling cold, use '느끼다.' But if you are reducing the company's carbon footprint or realizing the fragility of life, 절감하다 is your best choice.
How Formal Is It?
Le savais-tu ?
The 'jeol' in the reduction meaning is the same 'jeol' as in 'season' (계절) and 'joint' (관절), implying a break or a segment. The 'jeol' in the feeling meaning is the same as in 'urgent' (절박).
Guide de prononciation
- Pronouncing 'jeol' as 'jeo' (dropping the 'l').
- Confusing 'gam' (감) with 'gang' (강).
- Over-emphasizing the 'h' in 'hada'.
- Mixing up the two meanings in intonation (though they sound the same).
- Replacing 'l' with an English 'r' sound.
Niveau de difficulté
Common in news and books, but requires knowing Hanja context.
Requires correct object pairing and formal ending.
Used in professional settings; less common in casual talk.
Clear pronunciation, but can be confused with similar 'gam' words.
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Grammaire à connaître
-게 되다 (To become/come to)
중요성을 절감하게 되었습니다.
-기 위해 (In order to)
비용을 절감하기 위해 노력합니다.
-읍시다/합시다 (Let's)
에너지를 절감합시다.
-는 데 (In the act of/For)
시간을 절감하는 데 도움이 됩니다.
Hanja roots (減 vs 感)
절감(節減) vs 절감(切感)
Exemples par niveau
에너지를 절감해요.
Reduce energy.
Simple present tense with object particle.
비용을 절감합시다.
Let's reduce costs.
-읍시다 (Let's) imperative form.
물을 절감하세요.
Please reduce water (usage).
-으세요 (Please) polite command.
시간을 절감할 수 있어요.
You can save time.
-ㄹ 수 있다 (Can/Possibility).
쓰레기를 절감해요.
Reduce trash.
Transitive verb usage.
기름을 절감해요.
Reduce oil/fuel.
Common resource object.
종이를 절감합시다.
Let's reduce paper (usage).
Action for sustainability.
전기를 절감하고 있어요.
I am reducing electricity.
-고 있다 (Present progressive).
기업들은 생산 비용을 절감하려고 노력합니다.
Companies try to reduce production costs.
-으려고 노력하다 (To try to do...).
새로운 앱으로 시간을 절감했어요.
I saved time with a new app.
Past tense with instrumental particle -으로.
이 냉장고는 전력을 절감해 줍니다.
This refrigerator reduces power consumption.
-해 주다 (To do something for benefit).
우리는 예산을 절감해야 합니다.
We must reduce the budget.
-해야 하다 (Must/Have to).
환경을 위해 일회용품을 절감합시다.
Let's reduce single-use items for the environment.
-를 위해 (For the sake of).
운송비를 절감하는 방법이 있을까요?
Is there a way to reduce shipping costs?
Noun-modifying form -는.
난방비를 절감하기 위해 창문을 닫으세요.
Close the windows to reduce heating costs.
-기 위해 (In order to).
이 계획은 인력을 절감할 수 있습니다.
This plan can reduce manpower.
Object '인력' (manpower).
혼자 여행하면서 가족의 소중함을 절감했어요.
While traveling alone, I keenly felt the preciousness of family.
Meaning 2: Keen feeling.
정부는 탄소 배출을 절감하기 위한 정책을 발표했습니다.
The government announced a policy to reduce carbon emissions.
Formal news context.
실패를 통해 자신의 부족함을 절감하게 되었습니다.
Through failure, I came to keenly feel my own deficiencies.
-게 되다 (To come to realize).
원가를 절감하지 않으면 경쟁에서 뒤처질 것입니다.
If we don't reduce cost-price, we will fall behind in the competition.
-지 않으면 (If not).
아프고 나니 건강의 중요성을 절실히 절감합니다.
After being sick, I keenly feel the importance of health.
Adverb '절실히' (earnestly).
공정 개선을 통해 불량률을 절감했습니다.
We reduced the defect rate through process improvement.
Technical manufacturing context.
나이가 들면서 시간의 빠름을 절감하고 있어요.
As I get older, I keenly feel the speed of time.
-면서 (While/As).
이 기술은 연료 소비를 30% 이상 절감합니다.
This technology reduces fuel consumption by more than 30%.
Percentage reduction.
기업들은 불황을 이겨내기 위해 뼈를 깎는 비용 절감을 단행했습니다.
Companies carried out bone-cutting cost reductions to overcome the recession.
Idiom '뼈를 깎는' (bone-cutting/extreme).
그는 이번 사건을 통해 공직자로서의 책임을 절감했다.
He keenly felt his responsibility as a public official through this incident.
Meaning 2: Professional responsibility.
스마트 팩토리 도입으로 운영비를 획기적으로 절감할 수 있었다.
With the introduction of smart factories, operating costs could be innovatively reduced.
Adverb '획기적으로' (innovatively).
많은 청년들이 취업난 속에서 사회의 냉혹함을 절감하고 있다.
Many young people are keenly feeling the coldness of society amidst the job shortage.
Social commentary context.
에너지 절감 기술은 이제 선택이 아닌 필수가 되었습니다.
Energy reduction technology has now become a necessity, not an option.
Noun phrase '에너지 절감'.
부모가 되고 나서야 부모님의 사랑을 비로소 절감하게 되었다.
Only after becoming a parent did I finally come to keenly feel my parents' love.
-고 나서야 (Only after doing...).
이번 프로젝트의 성공으로 협력의 필요성을 다시금 절감했습니다.
With the success of this project, I keenly felt the need for cooperation once again.
Adverb '다시금' (once again).
과도한 포장을 줄여 자원 낭비를 절감해야 합니다.
We must reduce resource waste by cutting down on excessive packaging.
Resource management context.
그는 고독의 심연 속에서 인간 존재의 유한함을 절감했다.
In the abyss of solitude, he keenly felt the finiteness of human existence.
Literary/Philosophical register.
정부는 복지 사각지대 해소를 위한 예산 절감 방안을 모색 중이다.
The government is seeking ways to reduce the budget to eliminate blind spots in welfare.
Academic/Policy register.
기후 위기가 심화됨에 따라 전 지구적 차원의 탄소 절감이 절실해졌다.
As the climate crisis intensifies, global carbon reduction has become urgent.
-함에 따라 (As... happens).
그 작가는 작품을 통해 현대인의 소외감을 날카롭게 절감하게 만든다.
The author makes one keenly and sharply feel the alienation of modern people through their work.
Causative construction -게 만든다.
공급망 다변화는 리스크를 절감하는 데 핵심적인 역할을 합니다.
Supply chain diversification plays a key role in reducing risks.
-는 데 (In the act of/For).
역사적 비극을 목격하며 평화의 가치를 뼈저리게 절감했다.
Witnessing the historical tragedy, I keenly felt the value of peace to my very bones.
Adverb '뼈저리게' (painfully/to the bones).
디지털 전환은 비즈니스 프로세스의 효율성을 극대화하고 비용을 절감한다.
Digital transformation maximizes business process efficiency and reduces costs.
Professional jargon.
그는 자신의 무력함을 절감하며 고개를 떨구었다.
Keenly feeling his helplessness, he lowered his head.
Narrative style.
거시 경제적 관점에서 긴축 재정은 단기적인 소비 절감을 초래할 수 있다.
From a macroeconomic perspective, fiscal austerity can lead to short-term consumption reduction.
High-level economic terminology.
인간은 죽음이라는 절대적 타자 앞에서 자신의 왜소함을 절감하기 마련이다.
Humans are bound to keenly feel their own smallness before the absolute 'other' that is death.
-기 마련이다 (Is bound to).
제조업의 패러다임이 변화함에 따라 한계 비용 제로화를 향한 원가 절감 경쟁이 치열하다.
As the manufacturing paradigm shifts, the competition for cost reduction toward zero marginal cost is intense.
Complex sentence structure.
그의 연설은 청중으로 하여금 민주주의의 위기를 절감하게 하는 호소력이 있었다.
His speech had the appeal to make the audience keenly feel the crisis of democracy.
-로 하여금 (Making/Causing someone to...).
본 연구는 물류 네트워크 최적화를 통한 탄소 발자국 절감 효과를 분석한다.
This study analyzes the carbon footprint reduction effect through logistics network optimization.
Academic research context.
권력의 허망함을 절감한 그는 모든 직위를 내려놓고 낙향했다.
Keenly feeling the futility of power, he resigned from all positions and returned to the countryside.
Classical narrative style.
기술적 특이점이 도래하면 인간 지능의 한계를 절감하는 시대가 올 것이다.
When the technological singularity arrives, an era of keenly feeling the limits of human intelligence will come.
Speculative/Philosophical.
시장 점유율 확대를 위해 출혈 경쟁을 지양하고 비용 절감에 집중해야 한다.
To expand market share, we must avoid cutthroat competition and focus on cost reduction.
Strategic business language.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
— Cost reduction. Used as a noun phrase in corporate reports.
우리 팀의 목표는 비용 절감입니다.
— Energy saving/reduction. Used in environmental contexts.
에너지 절감 마크를 확인하세요.
— To keenly and earnestly feel something. Emphasizes depth.
그의 빈자리를 절실히 절감했다.
— To feel something to one's bones. Very strong realization.
자신의 실수를 뼈저리게 절감했다.
— To reduce drastically.
운영비를 대폭 절감했습니다.
— Reduction of cost price.
원가 절감을 위해 공정을 개선했다.
— Reduction of manpower/labor.
자동화로 인력 절감이 가능해졌다.
— Carbon reduction.
탄소 절감은 지구를 위한 길입니다.
— Time saving/reduction.
이 기능은 시간 절감 효과가 크다.
— To keenly feel the necessity of something.
운동의 필요성을 절감하고 시작했다.
Souvent confondu avec
Focuses on the virtue of saving. '절감' focuses on the act of reducing a total.
Implies a harsh or negative cut. '절감' is usually positive efficiency.
Means feeling something as real/vivid. '절감' means feeling it deeply/keenly.
Expressions idiomatiques
— Extremely painful and difficult reduction (like cutting bone).
기업은 뼈를 깎는 비용 절감에 나섰다.
Formal/Metaphorical— To tighten one's belt and reduce spending/usage.
허리띠를 졸라매고 가계 지출을 절감했다.
Neutral/Idiomatic— To reduce even further when it seems impossible (wringing a dry towel).
마른 수건을 짜는 심정으로 원가를 절감했다.
Business/Metaphorical— Bloody (extremely hard) efforts to reduce something.
피나는 절감 노력 끝에 흑자로 전환했다.
Formal/Emphasis— To hit a wall and realize one's limits.
그는 이번 경기에서 자신의 한계를 절감했다.
Neutral/Common— To realize the value of something only after it's gone.
이별 후에야 그녀의 소중함을 절감했다.
Literary/Emotional— To keenly feel a sense of crisis.
정치권은 현재의 위기의식을 절감해야 한다.
Formal/Political— To feel a burning need for something.
개혁의 필요성을 절감하는 사람들이 늘고 있다.
Formal— To feel the weight of responsibility on one's shoulders.
사고 소식에 무거운 책임을 절감합니다.
Formal/Professional— To keenly feel one's own inadequacies.
고수들과 겨루며 나의 부족함을 절감했다.
Neutral/PersonalFacile à confondre
Sounds very similar.
'저감' is specifically used for reducing pollution or bad elements (e.g., fine dust).
미세먼지를 저감하다.
Both mean decrease.
'감소' is an intransitive state (something decreases). '절감' is an active effort to reduce.
인구가 감소하다 vs 비용을 절감하다.
Both mean feel deeply.
'통감' usually implies a sense of pain or heavy responsibility.
실책을 통감하다.
Both mean reduce.
'경감' is used for burdens, punishments, or taxes.
형량을 경감하다.
Both mean make smaller.
'축소' refers to size, scale, or scope.
이미지를 축소하다.
Structures de phrases
[Object]을/를 절감해요.
비용을 절감해요.
[Object]을/를 절감하기 위해 [Action]해요.
에너지를 절감하기 위해 불을 꺼요.
[Noun]의 중요성을 절감했어요.
가족의 중요성을 절감했어요.
[Object]을/를 대폭 절감했습니다.
생산비를 대폭 절감했습니다.
[Noun]의 필요성을 절실히 절감하게 되었습니다.
운동의 필요성을 절실히 절감하게 되었습니다.
[Abstract Noun]의 한계를 절감하며 [Action].
자신의 한계를 절감하며 공부를 더 했습니다.
[Policy]은 [Object] 절감 효과가 있습니다.
이 정책은 예산 절감 효과가 있습니다.
[Concept] 앞에서 [Noun]을 절감하기 마련이다.
자연 앞에서 인간의 작음을 절감하기 마련이다.
Famille de mots
Noms
Verbes
Adjectifs
Apparenté
Comment l'utiliser
High (Business/News), Medium (Personal)
-
비용이 절감하다
→
비용을 절감하다 / 비용이 절감되다
절감하다 is transitive. Use -을/를 for active or -이/가 with the passive '절감되다'.
-
다이어트로 몸무게를 절감했다
→
몸무게를 감량했다
절감 is for resources/costs, not human body weight.
-
추위를 절감하다
→
추위를 느끼다
Physical sensations like cold use '느끼다'. '절감' is for deep realizations.
-
친구와 돈을 절감했다
→
친구와 돈을 절약했다
Sharing/saving money as a habit is '절약'.
-
예산을 절약하다 (in a corporate report)
→
예산을 절감하다
In a formal report, '절감' sounds more professional than '절약'.
Astuces
Business Pro Tip
Use '원가 절감' in your resume to describe how you saved the company money.
Particle Check
Always use '-을/를' with '절감하다'. It's a transitive verb.
Eco-Friendly
In environmental essays, use '탄소 절감' instead of '탄소 줄이기' for a more academic tone.
Deep Realizations
Pair it with '뼈저리게' (to the bone) to show you really learned a hard lesson.
Hanja Power
Learning 'Gam' (減 - decrease) will help you understand words like '감소', '감축', and '감량'.
Hanja Power 2
Learning 'Gam' (感 - feel) will help you understand words like '감정', '감동', and '실감'.
Essay Structure
Start a reflective essay by saying you '절감했다' a certain truth through an experience.
News Keyword
When you hear '절감' on the news, pay attention to the percentage mentioned right before it.
Don't Slash
Use '절감' when the reduction is smart/efficient; use '삭감' when it's just a cut.
Intonation
Maintain a steady, serious tone when using this word to match its formal register.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'Jeol' as a 'Jail' for your spending (locking it down) and 'Gam' as 'Gambling' (the feeling you get when you win or lose big).
Association visuelle
Imagine a pair of scissors cutting a dollar sign (reduction) and a heart with a small, sharp lightning bolt hitting it (keen feeling).
Word Web
Défi
Write one sentence about a resource you want to reduce and one sentence about a truth you recently realized using this word.
Origine du mot
Derived from Sino-Korean (Hanja). Meaning 1: 節 (jeol - moderate/cut) + 減 (gam - decrease). Meaning 2: 切 (jeol - cut/urgent) + 感 (gam - feel).
Sens originel : To cut and decrease (resources) OR to feel as if being cut (emotions).
Sino-Korean vocabulary.Contexte culturel
Be careful using '인력 절감' (manpower reduction) as it is a sensitive term for layoffs.
English speakers often use 'cut back' or 'slash' for the first meaning and 'keenly realize' for the second. Korean uses one word for both.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Company Meeting
- 비용 절감 방안
- 원가 절감 목표
- 불필요한 지출 절감
- 효율적 절감
Environmental Discussion
- 탄소 배출 절감
- 에너지 절감 캠페인
- 자원 절감
- 일회용품 절감
Personal Reflection
- 소중함을 절감하다
- 한계를 절감하다
- 필요성을 절감하다
- 뼈저리게 절감
News Report
- 예산 절감안 발표
- 대폭 절감
- 절감 효과 기대
- 정부 차원의 절감
Tech/Manufacturing
- 생산 시간 절감
- 공정 절감
- 연료 절감 기술
- 획기적 절감
Amorces de conversation
"요즘 물가가 너무 올라서 생활비를 절감할 방법을 찾고 있어요."
"실패를 경험했을 때 무엇을 가장 크게 절감하셨나요?"
"회사가 비용을 절감하기 위해 어떤 노력을 하고 있나요?"
"환경 보호를 위해 우리가 절감할 수 있는 에너지는 무엇일까요?"
"나이가 들면서 건강의 중요성을 절감하는 순간이 언제인가요?"
Sujets d'écriture
오늘 하루 동안 내가 절감한 시간이나 비용에 대해 적어보세요.
최근에 어떤 일의 중요성을 뼈저리게 절감한 경험이 있나요?
미래의 지구를 위해 내가 절감할 수 있는 탄소 발자국은 무엇일까요?
자신의 한계를 절감했을 때, 그것을 어떻게 극복하려고 노력했나요?
부모님이나 친구의 소중함을 절감하게 된 특별한 계기가 있었나요?
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsTechnically yes, but '감량하다' (reduce weight) is much more common and natural for body weight.
Rarely. It sounds very formal. Use '줄이다' or '아끼다' when talking to friends.
절감 implies finding ways to spend less through efficiency. 삭감 implies a forced cut in funding.
Look at the object. If it's a resource, it's 節減. If it's a feeling or importance, it's 切感.
Yes, if the sadness is a profound realization of a situation, but '슬퍼하다' or '슬픔을 느끼다' is more common for the emotion itself.
Yes, '절감' is the noun form, used in terms like '비용 절감'.
In terms of quantity, '증가' (increase). In terms of feeling, '무감각' (numbness/indifference).
In business, it's usually positive (efficiency). In emotional contexts, it's neutral but often leans toward serious or sad realizations.
Yes, '시간 절감' is a very common phrase for saving time through a faster process.
Rarely, as it's quite formal, but it might appear in more introspective ballad lyrics.
Teste-toi 115 questions
Write 'Reduce costs' in Korean.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Write 'Let's save energy' using 절감.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Write 'I felt the importance of health' using 절감.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Say 'Reduce water' in Korean.
Read this aloud:
Tu as dit :
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Say 'I want to save time' using 절감.
Read this aloud:
Tu as dit :
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Say 'I keenly felt my mistakes' using 절감.
Read this aloud:
Tu as dit :
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Listen and write: '비용 절감'.
Listen and write: '에너지를 절감해요'.
Listen and write: '중요성을 절감했습니다'.
Write a sentence about reducing carbon emissions.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Write a sentence about realizing one's limitations.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Explain '에너지 절감' in Korean.
Read this aloud:
Tu as dit :
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Describe a time you '절감했다' something important.
Read this aloud:
Tu as dit :
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/ 115 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
절감하다 is a versatile formal word. Use it when you want to sound professional about saving resources (비용 절감) or when you want to express a profound, life-changing realization (중요성을 절감하다). It bridges the gap between cold business logic and deep human emotion.
- A formal verb for reducing costs, time, or resources to improve efficiency.
- A literary verb for feeling a realization or emotion very deeply and keenly.
- Commonly used in business (cost-cutting) and environmental (energy-saving) contexts.
- Often paired with 'importance' (중요성) or 'necessity' (필요성) in emotional contexts.
Business Pro Tip
Use '원가 절감' in your resume to describe how you saved the company money.
Particle Check
Always use '-을/를' with '절감하다'. It's a transitive verb.
Eco-Friendly
In environmental essays, use '탄소 절감' instead of '탄소 줄이기' for a more academic tone.
Deep Realizations
Pair it with '뼈저리게' (to the bone) to show you really learned a hard lesson.
Exemple
회사는 비용을 절감하기 위해 불필요한 지출을 줄였다.
Contenu associé
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~대하여
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대해서
A2À propos de; concernant.
에 대해
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풍요롭다
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관철하다
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~에 따라
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에 따라
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에 의하면
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계좌번호
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